Let me tell you about wine; it’s one of my all time favorite things. I enjoy a rich red Merlot on a chilly day just as much as I love to settle into a glass of crisp, dry Riesling on a hot summer evening. I’ve been known to wonder, if drinking a glass of wine a day improves your health, then drinking a bottle a day must mean you’ll live forever, right? And by the same logic, if wine revitalizes you on the inside, can using it on the outside help? Should I be putting wine on my face as well guzzling it in order to find my personal fountain of youth? The surprising answer is, yes! In fact, numerous high end skincare brands rely on a spirit – from wine to sake - for their Holy Grail ingredient. It makes sense – alcohol acts as a preservative for food, so why not for skin?

I already have a few favorite skincare brands that are spirit-based, but I recently discovered another such line – Vine Vera. But unlike any other spirit-based line, Vine Vera
Cosmetics is so wine-centric that they divide their products by type of wine. Their website has a section for merlot, zinfandel, sauvignon blanc, chianti, cabernet, shiraz, pinot noir, and malbec. The many different lines have one commonality - each product’s efficacy is built around the very potent ingredient called resveratrol.

What’s resveratrol, you ask? The ingredient was news to me as well. It comes from the skins of wine grapes. Proponents of resveratrol praise its ability to slow aging and maintain skin’s youthful freshness. On a very scientific level, the brand sites that it as the only polyphenol that has been proven to stimulate the longevity gene known as SIRT1. Another study from dermatologists at the University of Wisconsin found that that resveratrol protects skin against UV damage. That alone is a reason to use it – sun damage is the number one cause of aged-looking skin. Finally, additional research has found this magic ingredient smoothes wrinkles and improves skin tone.

The line has antioxidant and antibacterial properties that make it a match for young and old skin alike. Since alcohol is a natural antibiotic (some argue earth’s first antibiotic!) it can stop skin infections like those that cause acne. It’s also a vital antioxidant. Antioxidants clear the skin of free radicals. When free radicals are left to their own devices they can allow viruses and even precancerous cells to flourish.

The breadth of this line which spans the wine kingdom has something to offer everyone. Skincare and vino aficionados can chose from a variety of masques, creams and serums. They offer one my favorite items - pre-soaked masques (the ones that look like a face) in malbec, and a sauvignon blanc version specifically for the chest area. They have three separate eye products, and many items for the décolletage. They even have a separate section exclusively for “men’s” products, which includes an aftershave balm, renewal masque and a renewal serum.